Adjustable clamp



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T. C.-O LOUGHLJN ADJUSTABLE CLAMP- Filed March 28,

I N VEN TOR.

Patented Apr. 2t), 1926.

UNITED STA TEsPArENr-.o

THOMAS o. oLoIiGHLIN, or' DETROIT, MrCHIGAN.

.ADJUSTABLE CLAMP.

Application inea March 28, 1924.V serial No. 702,615.

To all whom 1t/may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS C. OLoueri- LIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detro1t,in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in an Adjustable Clamp,`

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates toa new and useful improvement in a clamp and hasfor its object the provision of a clamp whichfwill be simple in structure, economical of manufacture, highly efficient in use and adapted for adjustment to various lengths.

Another object of the invention is the provision of anadjustable clampwhich may be folded into very compact form.

Another object. of the invention is the provision of a clamp having a foldable arm carrying abutment members at the `opposite sides or ends. i

Another object of the invention is the provision of a clamp having the arm which extends between the engaging blocks adapted for foldingupon itself to regulate the capacity of'theclamp. .l y .4

j Other objects will appear hereinafter'.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of partsV hereinafter described and claimed.' v

`The .invention will be best understood from a reference to the accompanying draw- Jings which form a part of this specification and in which, v Fig. 1 isa perspective view of the invention, l j

Fig. 2. is a top plan view Lof the invention in extended form with .parts in section,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view` taken on substantially lineS-S of Fig. 2,

, Stantially line 4-1'of Fig. 2,

Fig.I 5 is a sectional viewtalren on .sub-

' Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on substantially line 6 6 of Fig. 2, and, Y

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on substantially vline 7r-7` of Fig. 2. The invention is adapted for the various uses for which a iclamp is used and is par-V modate the work which heis engaged on. Some of the clamps, owing to their capacity, have a long arm extending `between the engaging ends, which makes the clamp heavy and cumbersome to handle. clamp r.of rvarying capacities which will be light andr substantialand at thesame Atime permit the folding of the arm extending between the engaging ends is thejpurpose of thefpresent invention. y

My invention! inits preferred form comprises a block 13, tothe opposite sides of llo providel av which are attached one end of rails 12 and y 12f. Threaded into an opening formedin the block 13 isa screw 14, havingfthe opervatin'gwing nut 15 at oneend thereof and l the swivelfoot 16 `at the 'opposite end there- Vof.v The free end of the rail 12 is pivotally connected to one end of an arnr 18, as atQ17.

. The other end of the memberlS ispivotally 'Y connectedto one .end ofan arm 18', the opposite end of which is pivotally connectedto one end ofthe arm 18, the opposite end of whichis pivotallyV Aconnected lto one ond of the. arm 21..A The freeend of therail. ,12 vis pivotally Vconnectedby `means of a rivet to one Vend of an arm 19, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected toVv one end ofan arm 19, the opposite'end of which is pivotally connected to oney `end ofl an arm 19, the opposite :end of which lis pivotally connected to ,one end of the arm `20.4 j i' An engaging block 22 is provided with.` a reenforcing portion 23 and 24,.at opposite sides thereof and projecting in opposite di-A rections. The block 22`is provided with a knarrow opening 25 andl awvider opening 26 `formed therein, atopposite ends of the block.

`l`he ends of lthe members 20 and 21 `are Fig. l is a sectional view taken on sub-...

adapted'for projecting into these openings.

`The blocl22 is provided with openings 27 and 27 Awhich project through theblock 22 and into the openings 25 `and 26 respectively.

A nut 28` or 28 is mounted in one end of the openings 27 and 27 respectively and pro-K. vided with an interiorly threaded bore to` receive the threaded end `of the bolt 29 hav- Y respective rivets 3l, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 35. Each of the arms is providedwi-th an opening which registers with an opening 37 and 37 formed in the side rails 12 and 12. lVhen these arms are in folded relation, a bolt 36 may be projected through the openings to prevent unfolding `of these arms or any relative displacement of the same.

. These bolts 36 may be .secured in positionby suitable cotter pins or byy being threaded into a 'threaded portion ofthe openings formed inthe arms. Y f r f f Y In use, the material to be clamped is placed between the engaging block and the swivel foot of 'the ,sci-ew, and the screw threaded to bring about the yproper clamping effect. The arms are extended through their T 'and y2l, or vthe other folded arms if 'de- A sired, so tha-tacloser approximation of the pivotal mounting' to the approximate length desired, -so lthat -the approximate' distance between the engaging surfaces `is obtained.

' Tlie'boltsj36 arethen projected 4through the remaining arms which are still folded to prevent their relative displacement 'under In 'this way, the distance betweenk strain.

the engaging surfaces may be adjusted through an extensionl or folding of the connecting medium between'said engaging sur-y ?faces.- Thev portion 21tengages the under surfaces of the arms and serves to reinforce the block 22 in' resisting ythe tlirust. The portion 23serves asa reinforcement in the 'same manner when: the block is inverted.

The block 22 may be moved along the arms adjustment niav behad'. To this end the arms maybe provided with additional openingsforthe pin 29 or the openings 37 and 37" may ybe used. If V it is desired to move the blo'clr'over` a number of the arms, `in

stead of over only two as shown in the drawings, the block 22 maythen be inverted and the kopening 26 used.` i' Iclaim:v

1, A" clamp of the; class described, comprising an'end'bloclr;` a pair of side rails secured toopposite faces of said end block adjacent one end and projecting 'outwardly ltherefrom in parallel relation to each other; a plurality of extension rails positioned bej'tween' said side'rails in juxtaposition to each other, the outermost pair being pi-votally `connected `at one end toftlie' free end of said side rails and the rest of said extension rails being alternately pivotally connected* at one end 'to the adjacent endof an adjacent extension rail, the innermost pair of said extension rails being elongated and'fprojecting 1 foregoing. 'beyond the ends of" the remainder of said v Vpivotally connected at 4opposite ends alternately -to adjacent extension rails on opposite sides, the innermost of said extension rails being .projected at one cnd'beyond the ends of .the remainder of said extension rails; Ian abutment block secured to the projecting'endof:said `inner pair of extension rails, saidfiextension rails and said side lrails being provided with registering openings for the :reception of locking vpins lfor preventing .movement of :said extension rails bodily relatively to saidy end block.

3. A :clamp ofthe class described, comprising anend block;4 apair yof side rails secuiedto'opposite sides of said yend block `and projecting therefrom in parallel spaced relationto each other; ascrew threaded in said end block and having anengaging end projecting in the direction of the projection of said side. rails; a plurality of extension rails positioned ybetween `said side rails, Etlie outermost pair of said extension rails being pivotally connected at oneyendsto tlieLfree end of' said lside rails, the-opposite end .of said outermost :pair :being pivotally Y.connected to one end `of an adjacent pair :of said extensionyrails, said extension. Vrails being pivotally connected alternatelyA at opposite ends to 'adjacent extension rails, the inner- -most of said extension rails-being elongated to provide a projecting portion extending beyond the ends of the rest'of saidextension rails; an abutment block having an opening formed tliereinfor the reception of said projecting portion, said projecting portion andsaid abutment block having 'registering openings vformed therein for the reception of fastening means, saidl extension rails and said side rails having registering openings formed therein for the reception of locking pins, said extension rails being V adapted for folding outwardly onv their points of-pivotal connection for adjusting the distance between said abutment block' and saidend block. v f In ltestimony whereof I have signed the THOMAS oxoLouGHLrNv'. 

